The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-10
i LITTLE OLD COUNTESS
GUYED BY A LO>D0N MOB ON
HER WAY

To the Queens Drawing ROom-A
Leak From Her Carriage-
Nays Of Great People.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF rRs APPEAL.
LONDON, March 26.-The advice
L gave in my lass letter, Don't be
presented at Court, is perhaps an
excuse for me to tell you some sto
ries about the scenes outside the
palace last week 90 the occasion of
drawing room. The day was bitterly
cold, and a northeast wind searched
for ones bones beneath the warmest
clothing, and found Them too; yet
there was a long line Of carriages,
moving slowly sometimes, at others
not moving at all, filled with ladies
who were going to be presented. The
regulation three feathers makes head
wraps an impossibility, and the Sc
we're rules about decollete dresses
are admirably adapted to the devel-
opment of colds, bronchitis aud the
like. With but scanty wraps to
cover their bare necks and arms, for
heavy ones would crush their won-
drous finery, the whole of the occu-
pants of this long line of carriages
sat and shivered and shook in the
biting cold. They tried t. warm
their noses by burying them
in their bouquets, the very
flowers in which had the look
of being frost bitten, and this
must have been cold comfort. Their
only consolation in most cases was
foot warmer, which is large fiat tin
box, which is filled before starting
out with boiling water. They have
them ON all the railways here, and
they are all right at first, but when
the water grows cold, as it is bound
to do soon, they are worse than moth
ing at all. As this is the only pro-
vision made for warming railway
carriages here, you may be sure six
hours journey on a frosty day or
night is anything but comfortable. |
went to Scotland recently and was
nearly frozen to death. However,
this is depression, though by way
of explanation as we'll The side
walks were lined with crowd of the
lower classes, who made comments,
criticisms and jests with m1e can
dor and humor than politeness as
they walked along and peered into
the carriage windows at the snuffy
old dowagers, and the pretty
girls within. One mouldy brougham
contained a little dried up
old woman-she was probably
countess, OF something OF the kind
who sat and s;owled at the crowd on
the sidewalk with dark looks, as they
grinned at the spectacle she made
crouching in one corner and SILVER
ing under her wraps which were bun
died around her, until only the low
ering eyes and the three funny little
nodding plumes we're visible. Pres
emily a small stream of water began
trickling through the floor of the
brougham, greatly to the amusement
of the bystanders, which they took
no pains to conceal. AS time wore
on the stream increased in volume,
and the laughter in the same ratio.
Then the old lady gave the check
rein spiteful jerk, and the decrepit
footman climbed down, opened the
door, aud discovered that the stopper
of the footwarmer with which which |
our Miladywas vainly trying to warm
her toes, had come unscrewed, and
the contents were tiltering slowly into
the frozen road. Some of the old
liners, however, had evidently learn
ed wisdom by experience. In many
carriages there was to be seen a great
of sandwiches and imbib-
ing OF sherry. One old gentleman in
a generals uniform, half buried in
the draperies of his portly wife and
two buxom daughters, created amuse-
ment by diving down into the sea of
tulle around him, and with a fork |
spearing some savory morsels which |
were not recognizable from the
depths, and solemnly feeding them to
his flock. The receptacle of this
delicacy, whatever it was, was pre-
hidden under the seat, but
its contents seemed to be very accep-
table. Two very severe looking
dowagers, however, took the bis
cult, and something else as well.
"Jeames," the footman on the box,
produced spirit lamp, lit it on the
box and warmed a liquid compound |
q judged from the aroma it was beet
tea and sherry, and when finished,
handed it in the carriage window
hot, and followed by a box
of biscuits-that is English you
know for crackers. Truly going to
drawing room is rare treat.
You may think | write much about
royalty-well, in Lent any topic is
like any port in storm, and until
after Easter interesting morsels will |
be few aud far between.
The Prince of Wales has been pre-
scented with a petition, not by the
American Exhibition as some mali |
oious person cabled to America, but |
by the Council of Welcome, which is
composed exclusively of Englishmen, |
asking him to become the honorary
president of the Council. There
were over 600 signatures to the petit
ton, and all noblemen and gentle
men. They were headed by Cardinal
and fifty peers OF the realm,
nearly 200 Lords by courtesy, Baro-
nets and Knights, Mayors of cities,
of Parliament, Presidents
of Chambers of Commerce and the
leading scientific societies, etc. And
all Of these representative men ex-
pressed their hearty desire to give
expression to their goodwill